Stereoscopic image display apparatus capable of selectively displaying desired stereoscopic image

Abstract

A stereoscopic image display apparatus capable of presenting a stereoscopic image of a desired planer image includes an input operating unit for designating an image of a desired portion of the planer image, and a stereoscopic display control unit for displaying, on a stereoscopic display screen, stereo-pair images corresponding to the image of the designated portion by the input operating unit. The stereo-pair images are prepared in advance corresponding to the image of the designated portion. Alternatively, the stereo-pair images may be automatically generated for the partial image.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A stereoscopic display apparatus for giving a stereoscopic display utilizing multi view point image data constituted by a plurality of image data, comprising: 
       view point setting means for setting a plurality of view points, and  
       image data forming and outputting means for forming and outputting a plurality of image data viewed from respective ones of said plurality of view points set by said view point setting means, utilizing said multi view point image data,  
       wherein said image data forming and outputting means includes means for outputting, when a plurality of photographing means virtually set at respective ones of said plurality of view points for photographing said plurality of image data satisfy a prescribed relation, image data viewed from said plurality of view points, and  
       means for converting, when said plurality of photographing means do not satisfy said prescribed relation, the image data viewed from said plurality of view points to image data which would be photographed by said plurality of photographing means satisfying said prescribed relation, and outputting the converted image data, and  
       wherein said prescribed relation is a relation where bottom sides of said plurality of photographing means all exist on one same plane.  
     
     
       2. The method of stereoscopic display utilizing multi view point image data constituted by a plurality of image data, comprising the steps of: 
       setting a plurality of view points, and  
       forming and outputting a plurality of image data viewed from respective ones of said plurality of view points, utilizing said multi view point image data,  
       wherein said step of forming and outputting said plurality of image data include the steps of:  
       outputting, when a plurality of photographing means virtually set at respective ones of said plurality of view points for photographing said plurality of image data satisfy a prescribed relation, image data viewed from said plurality of view points, and  
       converting, when said plurality of photographing means does not satisfy said prescribed relation, the image data viewed from said plurality of view points to image data which would be taken by said plurality of photographing means satisfying said prescribed relation, and outputting the converted image data, and  
       wherein said prescribed relation is a relation where bottom sides of said plurality of photographing means all exist on same plane.